Bibi Dong's Irritation

Bishop Luo'er switched to holding the spear with both hands.

He tried swinging it twice.

A heavy whooshing sound echoed through the hall.

Then he turned and returned the Flaming-tipped Spear to its original place.

"There's no problem with the test data."

"This martial soul also has a special affinity with its owner."

"In anyone else's hands, its weight would become a significant burden."

"But Li Zha is unaffected when using it."

Bishop Luo'er paused before offering his judgment.

"Calling it a top-tier weapon martial soul does not do it justice."

Someone voiced a different opinion.

"A martial soul's quality can't be judged by weight alone."

"If being heavy made it strong, every weapon soul master might as well awaken iron blocks."

Bishop Luo'er was not offended.

"Weight is only one aspect. That is why we still need to test its power."

Bibi Dong lightly tapped her scepter.

Two hall guard knights quickly carried over a black metal target.

The target stood over half a person tall and was nearly a foot thick, specially made to withstand attacks from Soul Masters below the Soul Ancestor rank.

Bishop Luo'er pointed at the metal target.

"You may not use soul power."

"Attack it in the way you are most comfortable with."

Li Zha nodded and took seven steps back.

The Flaming-tipped Spear fell into his right hand.

He lowered his body slightly, its tip pointed forward.

Everyone present thought he was about to charge forward and thrust.

But in the next instant, Li Zha planted his left foot and directly hurled the Flaming-tipped Spear.

Whoosh!

A strand of red tassel on the Flaming-tipped Spear swayed through the air!

It dragged an incredibly long streak of red light behind it!

The red light shot straight through the hall!

Clang!!

The Flaming-tipped Spear struck the center of the metal target.

Its tip sank into the surface.

The red light rippled as the spear shaft trembled slightly.

The metal target was sent sliding back several feet by the impact.

Dark red scorch marks appeared around it.

The two knights holding the target in place staggered back three steps before regaining their footing.

Bishop Luo'er hurried over and bent down to inspect the depth of the dent.

"The depth is actually... nearly half an inch!"

"It even carries a high-temperature burning effect!"

Luo'er excitedly turned toward Li Zha. "Are you really six years old?!"

This is Douluo Continent. It's not like I can pull out an ID card for you.

Li Zha rubbed his ear, grumbling inwardly.

The red-robed bishop who had questioned him earlier also hurried over to inspect it.

He touched the dent with his hand.

"Hiss—!"

He instantly felt the burn and quickly pulled back.

But his fingertips had already turned red from the heat.

Li Zha raised a hand and beckoned.

The Flaming-tipped Spear trembled a few times, broke free from the metal target, and flew back into his palm.

That move changed the expressions of quite a few people.

Even after leaving its owner's hand, a weapon martial soul could still be recalled.

That alone gave it terrifying practical combat value.

Bishop Luo'er returned to his place.

"Your Holiness, I have no further doubts."

"The Flaming-tipped Spear's quality truly exceeds the current standards for top-tier weapon martial souls."

Bibi Dong's expression remained calm, without the slightest ripple.

She opened the documents again.

"Soul power test."

A crystal ball was quickly brought before Li Zha.

Li Zha placed his hand on it directly.

The crystal ball lit up at once.

Light rapidly filled its interior without leaving the slightest gap.

The soul master in charge of testing immediately reported.

"Level ten!"

"His soul power is full! He has reached the standard to obtain his first soul ring!"

Bibi Dong set down the documents in her hand and finally raised her eyes to Li Zha.

"Innately full soul power, twin martial souls."

"The Flaming-tipped Spear's top-tier weapon martial soul quality has been verified, while the Undying Lotus Root possesses immortal-herb-level quality as well."

"Li Zha, are you willing to join Spirit Hall Academy?"

Li Zha withdrew his hand and gave a slight bow.

"I am willing."

Several of the higher-ups in the hall were unsurprised.

Spirit Hall Academy's resources ranked among the best on the entire continent.

For a commoner soul master to enter directly and be designated for core training, almost no one would refuse.

Bibi Dong looked toward the red-robed bishop in charge of academy affairs.

"Process his admission at the highest level."

"Open the training grounds, mimic environments, and soul beast archives to him in full."

"Provide benefits according to the standards for core students."

The red-robed bishop immediately bowed.

"Yes, I accept your orders."

Bibi Dong raised her scepter.

"The rest of you may leave."

The people in the hall rose one after another.

"By your leave."

As Bishop Luo'er passed Li Zha, he glanced once more at the marks left by the Flaming-tipped Spear.

Only then did he leave with the others.

The hall doors slowly closed.

All the Spirit Hall higher-ups seated on either side had withdrawn.

Li Zha swept his gaze around.

Only Bibi Dong, Gui Mei, Hu Liena, and himself remained in the Papal Hall.

Bibi Dong leaned back against her throne, her fingers resting on the top of her scepter.

"Entering Spirit Hall Academy is merely the first choice I am offering you."

She looked at Li Zha again.

"I also wish to take you as my disciple. What do you think?"

As she spoke, her long, pale hand unconsciously tightened around the scepter.

Her gaze appraised Li Zha before her once more.

Gui Mei stood on the right, his expression shifting slightly as his fist clenched beneath his black robe.

For some reason, the Pope had always possessed a natural sense of distance toward male disciples...

Among the outstanding students who had once studied alongside Nana, there had also been one with innately full soul power.

Yet in the end, it seemed that boy had shown too much excitement when Bibi Dong expressed her intention to take him as a disciple.

And so, he had ultimately been removed from consideration.

The Pope chose to keep Nana, whose innate soul power was level nine.

That male student gradually vanished from everyone's sight...

Gui Mei glanced slightly at Bibi Dong upon the throne.

For a time, he had believed that the Pope had secretly gotten rid of that male student.

But whether that guess was true or not, he could only keep it buried in his heart.

He turned to look at Li Zha again.

However, given this kid's personality, he probably would not get overly excited.

Perhaps... Her Holiness simply preferred more composed male disciples?

Hu Liena stood beside the steps and also turned her eyes slightly toward Li Zha.

She had thought her teacher had kept her behind so she could get acquainted with this gifted new student.

Yet after only a few words, she was about to gain a junior disciple.

She looked Li Zha over again.

Six years old, innately full soul power, twin martial souls.

The Flaming-tipped Spear had even made Yan embarrass himself in public.

With such talent, he truly qualified to become her junior disciple.

Several breaths passed in silence within the hall.

Li Zha stepped forward half a pace and bowed.

"Your Holiness, Li Zha has no such intention."

Hu Liena blinked twice, suspecting she had misheard.

He refused?

Li Zha had actually refused to become her teacher's disciple?

Bibi Dong's expression swiftly darkened.

"Say that again."

"Li Zha does not intend to take a master."

His tone remained normal. He neither panicked nor changed his words.

Gui Mei's face instantly became as ugly as a ghost's.

All the way from Nuoding City to Spirit City, Li Zha had never seemed like such a rash person.

Why had he suddenly lost his mind at the most crucial moment?

Joining Spirit Hall Academy and becoming the Pope's disciple were entirely different levels of treatment.

A direct disciple of the Pope could enter the Papal Hall's library.

He could seek guidance from Titled Douluo at any time.

He would also receive full protection when hunting soul rings.

Countless people could only dream of such opportunities.

Yet Li Zha had rejected it to her face!

Bibi Dong frowned, a trace of irritation appearing on her face.

"What do you mean by that? Do you think I am unworthy of taking you as my disciple?"

Li Zha's expression did not change much.

His gaze merely shifted slightly.

Although Bibi Dong's words carried a hint of anger, Li Zha still noticed that the hand gripping her scepter had relaxed slightly.

This showed that her anger was for the two people beside her to see.

Inwardly, she found it easier to accept his refusal instead.

He had long known that Bibi Dong would not easily take him as her disciple.

A woman who had suffered abuse at the hands of her master.

And who had kept the matter buried in her heart, unable to confide in anyone.

She likely carried an enormous psychological shadow from it long ago.

Otherwise, after all these years, why were Gui Mei and Ju Douluo still the only two people in the vast Spirit Hall who could become her confidants?

Wasn't it because one was effeminate and unlike a man, while the other was practically like a ghost?

And as for taking him as her disciple, it depended more on whether he showed any desire to study under her.

As for why—

Li Zha himself guessed that Bibi Dong had long since gone mad inside.

Once he showed any desire to become her disciple,

she might think that in the future, what happened to her would be reenacted by her own disciple.

Perhaps, the moment she asked that question,

she was already imagining herself being pinned against the wall by Li Zha, unable to move,

and being brutally ravaged back and forth.

Therefore, Li Zha did not simply go along with Bibi Dong's question and agree.

His primary goal in coming to Spirit City had always been the information on soul beasts and his first soul ring.

As for becoming Bibi Dong's disciple?

He truly had no interest in that from the very beginning.

Moreover, becoming master and disciple meant forming a deeper relationship.

Bibi Dong's emotions were unstable, and the Rakshasa God's trial was constantly influencing her.

Getting too close to her now might not be a good thing.

Li Zha bowed again. "Your Holiness the Pope, it is not that I believe Your Holiness is unworthy of being my master.

On the contrary, Your Holiness is absolutely qualified to teach me. It's just that—"

Bibi Dong pressed, "Just what?"